Flexible stuffing box assembly



May 19, 1936. E. o. BENNETT 2,041,316

FLEXIBLE STUFFING BOX ASSEMBLY Filed oct. 4, 1934 INVENTOR.

l1 I wf ATTORNEY. I

Patented May 19, '1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE s'rUEFiNG Box ASSEMBLY Edwin o. Bennett, Ponca city, okla., assignnr' tn ContinentalOil Company, Ponca. City, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application October 4, 1934, Serial No. 746,871

2 Claims. (Cl. 286-15) addition to its reciprocation. This angular motion works the packing in the stuing box loose y and it soon becomes badly worn on one side or 15 the other, depending upon the direction of the leak and both oil and gas escape from the well, producing a re hazard.

In assembling the sucker rods through the 20 stuffing box it frequently happens that the load of the rods must be taken by the stuffing box and transmitted to the oil well casing. The flexible coupling must be of such a nature that this load can be taken without danger of rupturing or in- 25 juring the coupling.

One object of my invention is to provide a stufng box wherein that portion containing the packing is self-aligning.

Another object of my invention is to provide a 30 stufling box assembly wherein the packing isexibly mounted in order to preclude wear due to the angular motion of the reciprocating rod.

A further object of my invention is to provide an assembly wherein wear on the pumping rod 35 wiu be minimized.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stuffing box assembly wherein the packing is exibly mounted and a construction which will enable the load of the sucker rods to be taken directly by the casing.

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of the instant specification and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views;

45 Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a stumng box assembly embodying one mode of carrying out my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

" Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a modication showing another construction embodying my invention.

In my prior patent, 1,928,122, I disclosedan assembly in which a pair of nipples were connected 55 by a flexible connection, one of the nipples being adapted to be screwed into a T of the casinghead, the other being screwed to a stuiiing box. In my prior patent, the resilient ring `or rubber sleeve was such that it normally held the nipples spaced apart. In the present embodiment, the 5 ring acts only as a sealing means, and a coupling ring which holds the vsealing means in place acts to hold thestufng box and the casing head normally spaced apart.

In general, this invention contemplates the pro- ,l0 vision of a pair of circumferential grooves formed in the casinghead and the stun'ng box in which grooves a coupling ring is adapted to seat.

The present arrangement has an advantage l over the previous structure in that; angular motion. When this occurs it begins to i 1. The length of the assembly from the top of the well casing to the top of the stuing box is made much shorter. This is of great advantage Where wells are being pumped with long strokes, and greatly simplifies the operation of assembling or taking down the stung box when it becomes necessary to remove the pump rod from the well.

2. 'Ihe use of two nipples is eliminated.

s. In assembling the pump rod whose iengtn is frequently great andconsequently represents aI heavy load, the weight of the rod is rested upon the stuffing box. In the assembly shown, the thrust occasioned by the weight is transmitted from the stuing box through the coupling ring directly to the casinghead.

More particularly referring now to the drawing, an oil well tubing l terminates in a casinghead 2, which is usually in the form of a T and to which is connected oil well eductlon tubing 3. The upper portion of the casinghead 2 is provided with a peripheral groove 4, the bottom of which may be generated along the surface of a sphere. 'I'he stufling box 5 may be of any suitable construction and is provided with packing rings 40 6 which are pressed in place by a follower 1. 'I'he bottom of the stuffing box 5 is provided with a peripheral groove 8 similar to peripheralgroove I. 'I'he stuffing box is exibly mounted on the casinghead 2 by means oi.' a clamping ring 9 having 45 a U-shaped cross section and being formed to flt the grooves 4 and 8. The sealing ring, which may be of rubber or any other suitable material I0 is pressed by the clamping ring against the space Il between the stuing box and the casinghead. By reference to Figure 1,- it will be seen that the stuilng box is'suppcrted by the clamping ring 9, which in turn is supported by the caslnghead. ,Y

It will also be appreciated that stumm; box

v connected to the usual walking beam for reciprocating motion.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the .stufng box is provided with a nipple E@ to enable all stufllng boxes to be used with the new arrangement, which consists primarily of a casinghead T 2, provided with a peripheralgroove it will be seen that I havef accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided an improved construction in which the assembly is shorter, which is of advantage where wells are to be pumped with long strokes. Besides, the assembly greatly simplifies the operation of assembling or taking down the stumng box when it becomes necessary to pull the pump rods from the iwell.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. Means for mounting a stuiing box for a well pump rod comprising a casinghead secured to a Well casing and having an integral extension provided with a peripheral groove, a stuing box in axial alignment with and normally spaced apart from said well casing and having an integral extension provided with a peripheral groove, a clamping ring having? projections seated in said peripheral grooves and forming a connection between said casinghead and said stuing box which holds them spaced apart, a sealingring clamped between said clamping ring and the free ends of said casinghead and said stuffing box adapted to form a liquid and gas tight joint, one of the projections of said clamping ring being of less width than the width of the groove in which it is seated and providing for a slight angular movement of the stuing box to accommodate it to movements occasioned by pumping operations.

2. Means for mounting a stuing box for a well pump 'rod comprising a casinghead secured to a well casing and provided with a peripheral groove, a stuiiing box, a peripherally grooved nipple integral therewith, said stuing box being in axial alignment with said casinghead and normally spaced apart therefrom, a clamping ring having projections seated in said peripheral grooves and forming a connection between. said casinghead and said nipple which holds them spaced apart, a sealing ring clamped between said clamping ring and the free ends of said casinghead and said nipple adapted to form a liquid and gas tight modate it to movements occasioned by pumping 30 

